Door-closer.



L. J. LINDSAY.

DOOR CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED act. 12. 1914.

Patented July 11, 1916.

LEROY J. LINDSAY, OF SEYMOUR, IOWA.

DOOR-CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916..

Application filed October 12, 19 14. Serial-No. 866,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LnRoY J. LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seymour, in the countyof Wayne and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Door-Closer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spring actuated door closers, which are readily adjusted for varying the tension on the spring.

My object is to provide a door closer, including a pair of relative reciprocating members and yielding means for holding them apart, and means for pivoting the respective members to a support and a swinging member, in such a way that either of said pivoting means may be varied in position for changing the tension on said yielding means.

A further object is to provide in such a mechanism a means for pivotally mounting one end of one reciprocating member, so mounted and arranged that it may be swung to different positions, and will be adapted to stand in the position to which it is thus moved, for varying the tension on the yielding means, without the use of any special tools, screws, bolts, or the like. 1 Still a further object is to provide such a device having means whereby one of the pivotal points of the sliding members can be easily varied for regulating its distance from the stationary support whereby the tension of the spring may be varied, and particularly for effecting the action of the spring, during the last portion of the closing movement of the door.

My invention further consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 shows a horizontal sectional view of a door equipped with a door closer, embodying my invention, showing a top or plan elevation. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of my door closer installed in position. Fig. 3 shows a detail sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 41 shows a detail sectional view taken on the line 4l of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the stationary supporting member, such as V a door frame. To the member 10'is hinged a swing member or door 11.

In the exemplification of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numerals 12 and 13 to indicate two members slidably connected with each other, as shown the members 12 and 13 are flat bars. Secured to one end of the member 13 is a. receiving yoke or loop 14: which receives the edges of the member 12 for permitting the member 12 to slide freely within the member 14. The member 14 is bolted to the member 13 by means of a bolt 15, on which is a nut 16. Secured to the one end of the member 12 is a receiving loop or yoke 1?, portions of which receive the edges of the member 13 to permit sliding movement of said member 17. Formed on said member 17 is a laterally extending portion 18, in which are openings 19. In one of the openings 19 is mounted a bolt 20. It will readily be seen from the foregoing description that the members 12 and 13 slide with relation to each other. Secured to the bolts 15 and 20 are the ends of a coil spring 21. It will be seen that the coil spring 21 yieldingly resists the movement of the members 12 and 13 together, beyond a certain point.

Mounted on the door 11 is a vertical flange 22 of a bracket. Said bracket also has a horizontal flange 23. Pivoted to the flange 23 is a link 2d, designed to swing in a horizontal plane. The link 24 is pivoted to the flange 23 at such a point as to permit said link to swing around from position parallel with the door, extending away from the hinged edge thereof, to a position parallel with the door extending toward the hinged side thereof. Link 2e is also so pivoted as to cause it to engage the edge of the flange 22, whereby said link is held away from contact with the door, by which the door might be marred.

Pivoted to the outer end of the link 2a is the forward end of the member 13. Secured to the stationary support 10 is the vertical flange 25 of a bracket which has also the horizontal flange 26. The flange 26 is provided near its medial line and near the flange 25 with an opening to receive a bolt or pin 27, whereby the link 28 is pivotally mounted on the flange 26. Link 28 is provided with an opening to receive a pin 29 between its pivotal pin 27 and its outer end, and the flange 26 is provided near its edge a plurality of openings 30, designed to selectively receive the pin 29. The outer end of thelink 28 is pivoted to the rearward end of the sliding member 12.

When my improved door closer is installed, the brackets may be so located that the spring will'have slighttension when the door is closed. It will then be seen that when the door is opened the members 12 and 13 will be slidably moved. togetherfagainst the pressure of the spring 2lxand when the door is released the spring will yieldingly move it toward itsclo'sed' position. It will readily be seen'that by varying the position of the pin 29 with relation to the flange 26, the tension on the spring may be changed. The bolt can also be changed to the forward opening 19 for varying the tension on the spring. In this connection it may be noted that the variation in the position of the link 1 of the door and then toward the closerd'evice will be in position,

position shown by the full lines in Fig. 1

28 moves the pivotal point at the rearward end of the member 12 not only away from or toward the forward bracket for thereby regulating the spring and tension, but it also moves said pivotal point so as to vary the distance thereof laterally from the vertlcal plane in'which the door rests when closed.

It will readily be seen that the farther away the rearward point of the member 12 is from such plane, the more direct is the thrust on the'sliding members for closing the door. During the latter portion of the closing movement of the door, it will thus be seen, that the means for adjustment of the pivotal point from the rear end of the member 12-, not only varies the tension of the 7 spring, but also varies the angle formed by e the members 12 and 13 with the door when the door is closed for thereby changing the direction of the thrust of the spring to actuate the sliding members.

7 By the construction just mentioned it is made possible to utilize the thrust of the spring to better advantage than could otherwise be done, during the latter portion of the movement-of the door.

Assuming that the parts are now in the 7 and that there is, for instance, abreeze or draft tending to open the door or-if for any otherireason the door is jerked, the spring holds it in its closed position. Then if the forward end of the member 13 be swung outward and then away from the free edge door the shown by 7 the dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will readily be seenthat the tension of the spring is greatly increased, and that the device'will work exactly'thesam'e as before, except for the variationin thespring tension. On account of the fact that the pivotalpoint at V V the'rear end of the member 12 is located laterally from the vertical plane on which the character to hold the door in its open position, orto relieve the spring tension from the door when open, so that it will normally stand in its open position. Furthermore in some instances it is highly desirable to provide a device of this kind in which the door may he certainly closed against even a strong wind pressure with-out having the door violently slammed shut when there is no wind, pressure. To accomplish these desirable results I simply remove the pin 29 and then swing the arm 28 toward the free edge of the door and replace the pin 29 to hold the arm 28 in this position. When in this position it will be noted that the pivot point of the bar 12 with the arm 28 extends across the hinged center of the door, and when the door is swung open the tendency of my closing device to move it toward closed position is eliminated. However, when thus adjusted, and after the door starts from its wide open position toward its closing position, my improved device will impose suflicient spring pressure to close the door, and as the door reaches its closed position this pressure is gradually and uniformly decreased, so that there will be no tendency for slamming the door in a violent manner, and at the same time the door is surely closed against even a relatively strong wind pressure.

It will be understood that some changes may be made in the details of my door closer, and 1t is my intent to cover by this application not only the details of the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, but also any modifications thereto which may be included within the scope of my claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair of members slidably mounted on each other, yielding means tending to force said members apart, means for pivoting one of said members to a support, means for pivoting the other of said members to a member hinged to said support, said last named means being so arranged that it may be swung to different positions, and will be maintained in said positions for varying the tensions on said yielding device.

7 2.,In a device of the class described, the combination of a stationary support, a door hinged thereto, closer members slidable with relation to each other, yielding means tending to force said closer members apart, one of said closer members being pivoted to said support at a point spaced laterally from the plane in Which the door rests When closed, a link pivoted to the other closer member and pivotally connected With said door, said parts being so arranged as to permit the Copies of this patent may variation of tension on the yielding device by moving said link from one position to another, Without otherwise afiecting the operativeness of the device.

Des Moines, Iowa, October 5, 1914.

LEROY J. LINDSAY. Witnesses:

ADELE SHERMAN, JULIA MAKER.

be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

